Development of the Marshall Space Flight Center-developed Ares I rocket, along with NASA's Orion crew capsule, could slip by up to four years, according to the panel charged with setting NASA's future course.

NASAMoney and engineering development could delay NASA's ability to launch humans into space once the space shuttle is retired.

This afternoon, former astronaut Dr. Sally Ride presented figures to the Augustine panel, which is meeting at the Johnson Space Center, near Houston, that showed an independent assessment of the Ares and Orion development could be delayed by at least two years and maybe four because of development problems, or technical challenges, and a shortfall in federal dollars of about $14 billion.

The development and money woes would create up to a six year gap in American human space flight when the shuttle is retired in late 2010 or 2011. "By the way the longest since we started flying people into space," Ride said. "We are going to have a period of six years where we get out of training and practice on" putting people into space.

The Augustine Commission, which is named for its chairman aerospace veteran Norman Augustine, is slated to conduct a public hearing 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center's Davidson Center for Space Exploration.